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A lap at Chimay
We start our lap on the site where the start/finish was from 1926 to 1983.
Here we enter the village of Chimay.
Hard braking was necessary here because it was the end of a long
high speed section.
Exit La Bouchère.
A few fast sweeping corners are leading us to the longest straight ...
Which is interrupted by a roundabout now!
Pedal to the metal at the "Ligne droite de Salles" (Sales Straight).
After three km full throttle we enter the fast "Virage Spikins" (Spikins
Corner).
After Spikins Corner a right kink. The piece of asphalt on
the left is a remain from an additional chicane constructed in 1984.
The first of two banked 90° right hand corners just before
the village of Salles.
These corners are most likely constructed in 1960.
Full throttle upward.
And very close alongside Chapelle de l'Arbrisseau!
A few very fast kinks ...
And after a Mile full throttle you had to brake very hard before "Virage Mairesse"
(Mairesse Corner).
Imagine what would happen when you would brake too late for this corner ...
On the right you see the new part of the circuit.
Since 1984 the Pilette Chicane reduce the speed at this point.
Turn right at "Virage de Beauchamp", the third angle of the circuit.
And again a chicane, Chicane Bourgoignie, just like the
other chicanes introduced in 1984.
Close alongside the houses at Virage Vidal!
The last kink comes in sight ...
Who brings us back at start/finish, but we're not finished yet ...
Here was the old control tower!
Since 1984 the section through the village of Chimay was cut
by this new section with a new start/finish straight ...
The new start/finish.
On the right the new section opened in 1996. But we will go
straight ahead ...
From
1984 to 1995 here was the first corner leading to the Salles
Straight who was 1 km shorter after cut off the Chimay section. We
have seen this roundabout before at our lap!
Back to the latest version of the track since 1996.
Looks like a nice long straight ...
But this straight is interrupted twice by a chicane. The
first chicane is called after Guy Nève who died in 1992 after an
accident in Spirkins Corner at the old track.
The second chicane is called "Chicane Mairesse", an adopted
name from the "Virage Mairesse"
at the old circuit. This corner was named after Guy Mairesse who
died in an accident at
Montlhéry in 1954.
Looks spectacular but because of the chicane it's easy flat out ...
And here's the connection with the old circuit where we have been
before.
© Text
and pictures: Herman Liesemeijer |
